Tag: Georgia State Parks

Monarch butterflies find a vital stopover at Gibbs Gardens during their 3,000-mile migration

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Every fall, one of nature’s most remarkable migrations passes through Georgia, carried on wings so delicate they seem hardly suited for the journey ahead. Generations of Monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles from their summer breeding grounds in Canada and the northern United States to the mountains of central Mexico, where they spend the winter. Along the way, they need somewhere to eat. At Gibbs Gardens in Cherokee County, a sprawling meadow of cosmos, zinnias and other wildflowers has become something of a roadside diner for butterflies on the move.

“The monarchs, they have to refuel every single day,” said Eric Johnson, a horticulturist and host of PBS’s GardenSmart.  “Every day they have to find a nectar source.” And finding those sources has become increasingly difficult.  “If they can’t refuel, those are butterflies that don’t make it,” Johnson said. Gibbs Gardens is the life’s work of landscape designer Jim Gibbs, who began developing his vision for a world-class garden north of Atlanta in the 1970s. Today, the 376-acre estate includes approximately 220 acres of landscaped gardens, many inspired by Gibbs’ travels in Japan.  Its celebrated daffodil festival was named the nation’s top flower festival in USA TODAY’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.

But among the property’s carefully cultivated landscapes is a meadow with a purpose that extends well beyond its appearance.  Originally planted to support honeybees, the meadow was later adapted to help monarch butterflies. “It was in 2021, when the monarch populations were collapsing, [Gibbs] repurposed this garden significantly to have it focus largely on the monarch population,” Johnson said. The flowers provide nectar, giving migrating butterflies the energy they need to continue their journey south. 

And those stops can make the difference between completing the migration and falling short. The eastern migratory monarch population has declined by an estimated 80% since the mid-1990s, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Habitat loss, pesticide exposure and climate change are among the threats facing the species.  Although monarch populations fluctuate from year to year, their long-term decline has raised concerns about the survival of one of North America’s best-known migrations. For Johnson, the connection between conservation and gardening is direct.  “What we do as gardeners absolutely makes a difference,” he said. The nectar-producing flowers at Gibbs Gardens provide fuel for adult monarchs. But another plant is essential to producing the next generation:  milkweed.

Female monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and their caterpillars depend on milkweed leaves for food.  Without it, monarchs cannot successfully reproduce.  As native milkweed habitat has disappeared from roadsides, fields and other open spaces, the butterflies have lost critical breeding grounds.  That means even relatively small planting decisions can make a difference. “The most important thing that homeowners could do if you care about the survival of monarchs, even if you just have a little corner of your garden and you can plant some milkweed and then some good nectar-producing flowering plants,” Johnson said. Native milkweed varieties appropriate for Georgia, combined with flowers that bloom throughout the growing season, can help support monarchs and other pollinators.

Monarchs generally pass through north Georgia during their fall migration from late September into mid-October, with the timing and number of butterflies varying from year to year. Gibbs Gardens, in Ball Ground, is open to the public during its seasonal operating schedule.  Visitors can purchase admission to explore the gardens, including the flowering landscapes that attract migrating butterflies. A sighting is never guaranteed.  The butterflies are wild, and their movements depend on weather, migration conditions and the availability of nectar. 

On a recent visit to the gardens by CBS News, monarchs by the hundreds were observed in an almost dancing movement across the tops of the flowers. It is an extraordinary journey unfolding close to Metro Atlanta.  For the monarchs, the trip to Mexico can stretch as far as 3,000 miles.  Whether they complete it may depend, in part, on what is growing in places like Gibbs Gardens — or even in an ordinary Georgia backyard.

Source: Monarch butterflies find a vital stopover at Gibbs Gardens during their 3,000-mile migration – CBS Atlanta

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Romans 6:1-2

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Field of Flags marks 25 years since 9/11 at Kennesaw Mountain

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At the foot of Kennesaw Mountain, 2,977 American flags now stand as a reminder that every person killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had a life and a story. People of all ages joined first responders and community groups to plant the flags at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Each flag represents one person killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “It’s the feeling of giving back,” said Ernie Wagoner, president of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta. “Just look at the crowd we have here. We’ve got firemen, policemen. They just want to give back.”

The Kiwanis Club of Marietta first organized the Field of Flags in 2002. This year’s display is its sixth installation, according to the city of Marietta. The memorial is displayed every five years. Wagoner said more than 1,200 people signed up to help this year, with additional volunteers arriving without registering. “It brings the community together,” Wagoner said. For Melissa Tanner, volunteering was also an opportunity to teach her grandchildren about those who died and the first responders who risked their lives to save others. “I brought my grandchildren with me, and I wanted them to remember,” Tanner said. “I don’t want it to be sad. I want it to be a remembrance of those who gave their lives.” Roger Ball said the tribute offers younger generations a chance to understand the country’s history and learn from it. “The main thing is understand your history,” Ball said.

“Learn from it. How can we move forward and not let what happened to us happen again?” For Ball, planting the flags also brought together people who may not have otherwise met. “Anytime you have an opportunity like this to participate in an event where you are recognizing milestone events in America, it’s also unifying,” Ball said. The Field of Flags will remain on display through Sept. 19, according to the Kiwanis Club of Marietta.

Source: Field of Flags marks 25 years since 9/11 at Kennesaw Mountain – CBS Atlanta

Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
Proverbs 6:28

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Shepherd Center makes hiking accessible for all, encouraging outdoor activities for better brain health

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Person in motorized wheelchair on accessible forest loop trail surrounded by green trees

The Shepherd Center offered a free hiking and bird watching clinic at Panola Mountain State Park to encourage people with cognitive and physical impairments to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. The clinic is one of many events the neurorehabilitation hospital offers throughout the year. “We do biking, water, skiing, ski shooting, riflery, art, horticulture, anything we can get someone’s interest and get them out of the house and continue to stay active,” said Katie Harmon, the health and wellness coordinator for the Shepherd Center.  “My favorite are the birding outings and my second favorite. Are these hikes and then our nature based and get me out in the woods,” said Maggie Smith, a participant.

  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources provided rugged terrain-friendly wheelchairs through their Outdoors Beyond Barriers program. Georgia State Parks rangers and Feathers with Furr helped with the tour. “Obviously, there is going to be a physical component that benefits people: getting out of bed, getting out of the house, you’re learning a new skill, but the social aspect is huge,” said Harmon.  “We all have kind of similar lived experiences; there’s nothing like being around a community that can share those lived experiences with you,” said Smith. Smith says she notices the mental health benefits of doing events with the center. “Since I have been doing activities, outdoors, more, I can feel from firsthand experience that my mental health is better, my excitement to get outside is higher and I just can’t get enough of it,” said Smith. The Shepherd Center has 80 recreational therapy clinics this year. They’re open to anyone with physical or cognitive impairments. 

Source: Shepherd Center makes hiking accessible for all, encouraging outdoor activities for better brain health – CBS Atlanta

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

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